One-time-use cameras with film pre-loaded by the camera manufacturer and typically including a flash illumination feature are very popular with consumers. It is very important for the continued commercial success of these cameras that they provide good quality, reliable operation at the lowest possible product cost. One-time-use cameras are currently available that utilize Advance Photo System (APS) film and have provision for providing a selection of ski desired print aspect ratios. APS specifications include provision for optically recording (or not recording) blips in the film margin adjacent each image frame that signal the photofinisher which print aspect ratio to apply. These blips are colloquially referred to as "fat bits". In the specification, there are three available print aspect ratios, H, P and C, which roughly correspond to HDTV, panoramic and conventional 35 mm aspect ratios, respectively. No recorded fat bit specifies the H aspect ratio, a single recorded fat bit specifies the P aspect ratio and two recorded fat bits specify the C aspect ratio.
In commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/149,688, there is shown a flash circuit for a one-time-use camera in combination with a data bit recording circuit for recording fat bits on the film. The data recording circuit employs a light emitting diode (LED) which is powered from the main flash capacitor of the flash circuit. The flash circuit is designed to maintain a minimum voltage on the flash capacitor substantially equal to the battery supply voltage to insure that there is sufficient voltage to illuminate the LED even if the flash capacitor is fully self-discharged following a long period of non-use of the camera. While effective for its purpose, this arrangement requires that the data recording circuit include a relatively costly high-voltage-rated transistor and a zener diode for protecting the LED from the high voltage of the flash capacitor when fully charged and for limiting the LED current to the relatively low level of 5 to 10 milliamps needed for illumination of the LED. There is therefore a need for a data recording circuit which will operate reliably to optically record data on the film, such as fat bits, that is simple in design and does not require costly circuit components for protection of the LED.